Meaning & use

staff

noun·Everyday

A group of people employed by an organization to carry out its work.

See it in a sentence

The hotel staff greeted every guest warmly at the front desk.

The school hired new staff to reduce class sizes this year.

A note on using this word

Staff can take a singular or plural verb in British English ('the staff are'), while American English usually treats it as singular ('the staff is').

Words with a similar meaning

employeespersonnelworkforce

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. noun

A long stick or pole used for support, as a weapon, or as a symbol of authority.

The old shepherd leaned on his wooden staff as he guided the sheep.

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